Sprocket-wheel.



PfR. WILLSON, JR. SPBOOKET WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 30, 1905M 960;?56. Patented June 7, 1910.

mirieoifws/ IIITE @l STATES FREEMAN R. WILLSON, JR., OF WORTHINGTON,OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE JEFFREY MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SPROCKET-WHEEL.

seems.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREEMAN It. WILL- SON, J12, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Worthington, in the county of Franklin and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSprocket-Wheels, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to power transmission apparatus in which a cableis employed as the endless traveling member; and it consists ofimprovements in the wheels with which the cable engages.

The advantages incident to the use of cables, in lieu for instance ofchains, have long been recognized, but they are subject to thisdisadvantage, that the length of the cable is subject to considerablevariation, owing to the stretching thereof under the conditions ofsevere and long continued use, as well as to expansion and contractionunder the variations of temperature. Such changes of course affect thepitch of the cable and unless the pitch of the wheel with which thecable engages be varied, the cable and wheel do not work well together.

It is the object of my invention to produce a wheel for use in powertransmission systerns, that is simple in construction and is adapted tohave its pitch changed by simple adjusting manipulations that can beeffected by any workman and by the use of means that are always at hand.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheelembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of one section of the wheel,the parts thereof being separated. Fig. 3 is a cross section taken onthe line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a similar view to Fig. 3 except thatthe segment E has been set out by the use of a liner or shim-plate. Fig.5 is a side view of a portion of the wheel when the segment E has beenset out as indicated in Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a detached face view of oneof the liners or shim-plates.

In the drawings, A represents a cable, B the contact members or blocksapplied thereto, and G flights or other conveying attachments secured tothe cable and serving in lieu of the blocks B.

The wheel with which the cable engages comprises essentially a centralportion D, which may be formed of cast metal, and a series of segments Esecured thereto. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 30, 1905.

Patented June *7, 1910.

Serial No. 278,392.

[ central portion of the wheel comprises a hub d, radiating arms (Z andthe rim or periph eral portion 0Z This rim is divided into a number ofsections formed with broad bearing surfaces upon which rest and to whichare secured the separable segmental sections E. These separable segmentsconstitute the parts of the wheel with which the cable directly engages,and they are separatechfrom each by the gaps f. Each segment E isprovided with a series of staggered teeth 6 between which is a groove cin which rests the cable. The segments E and the gaps f separating themare comparatively long, as is customary in wheels of this characteradapted to be used with power transmitting cables; and the contactpieces or blocks B upon the cable occupy the gaps as the cable passesaround the wheel.

It is evident that if a cable stretches the distance between adjacentblocks is increased, and it is therefore necessary, if the cable is toproperly register with the wheel, that the pitch of the latter should beincreased in proportion to the stretching of the cable. The bearingsurfaces 9 upon which the segments E bear are preferably planescoinciding with chords of a circle a: struck from the center of thewheel, while the bearing surface it of each segment E is shaped to fitthe surface 9. These bearings g and h are relatively broad and areformed by laterally projecting flanges extending re spectively from theweb portion 9 of the peripheral part d of the wheel and the web portions72, of the segments, as clearly inclicated in Fig. 3. The segments E aresecured to the portion D of the wheel by bolts I passing through theflanges g and 72,, and nuts 1' therefor. l/Vhen it is desired toincrease the pitch of the wheel, the segments E are loosened andshimming plates or liners J inserted between them and the adjacentbearing surfaces g. These cause the segments E to he set out in a radialdirection, thereby 'in creasing the pitch of the wheel.

It will thus be seen that not only is the wheel of simple construction,but the segments E may be adjusted to any desired extent by the verysimple expedient of employing shimming plates (which can be found in allestablishments, or manufactured out of metal at hand wherever machineryis being used,) the regular location of the bearing surfaces 9 uponwhich the segments E rest permitting this.

The cable segments have broad seats or bearings upon which they arefirmly secured whether adjusted to one position or another. And theadjustment is easily elfected and is uniform for each segment, becauseof a single liner under each segment gives a uniform adjustment to eachmovable section of the wheel, two liners under each section givesanother, but still uniform, adjustment to all the sections, and so on,and these adjustments can be made by any unskilled mechanic.

\Vhat I claim is:

The combination with a power transmission cable having sprocket engagingblocks, of a sprocket wheel comprising a central hub or frame sectionhaving a series of regularly arranged bearing surfaces formed bylaterally projecting flanges extending respectively in oppositedirections from the web portion of the hub or frame section, a series ofseparable segments separated from each other by gaps and each formedwith a groove to be engaged by the cable, each adapted to engage at oneend with one of the sprocket engaging blocks of the cable and each beingformed with relatively broad bases, extending laterally from the webpart of the segment in a direction transverse to the plane of the wheeland adapted to be supported by the bearing faces of the hub or framesection, liners between the bearing surfaces of the central hub and theseparable sections, and rows of connecting bolts on each side of thesegments and passing through the flanges of the segments and through theflanges of the hub or frame section, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FREEMAN R. lVILLSON, JR. Witnesses Y J. VEBSTER, R. H. PAUsoI-I.

